# Jordan Vanek: Vanek ranks the NFL's top 24 wide receivers at the 2023 midseason, with Tyreek Hill first, and adds that Ja'Marr Chase will eventually become the league's best receiver and that Tee Higgins is one of the best No. 2 receivers in football. **Claimed:** Nov 9, 2023 **Pundit:** Jordan Vanek — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/pundits/jordan-vanek **Outlet:** The 33rd Team — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/outlets/the-33rd-team **How it reached us:** published in writing **Original:** https://www.the33rdteam.com/2023-nfl-midseason-top-24-wide-receiver-rankings/ 4 checkable claims — 2 depth chart calls, 1 positional finishe and 1 top player list — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet. It names 5 players and teams, each linked to their own record. All 4 have settled, averaging 65.8 out of 100, against 75 for a naive guess at the same calls. > Chase is close to surpassing Jefferson and will eventually be the best wide receiver in the NFL. *(their words, quoted for attribution)* ## The claims - **Tee Higgins to be 2nd on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Tee Higgins, Cincinnati Bengals - Verdict: scored 91.67 out of 100, against 91.67 for a naive guess - **DeVonta Smith to be 2nd on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: DeVonta Smith, Philadelphia Eagles - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 91.67 for a naive guess - **This article attempts to account for all those factors when ranking the league's top 24 wide receivers. NFL's Top 24 Wide Receivers** - Kind: Top Player Lists - Verdict: scored 63.17 out of 100, against 50 for a naive guess - **Ja'Marr Chase to finish top 1 at his position, by receiving yards** - Kind: Positional Finishes · About: Ja'Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals - Verdict: scored 8.33 out of 100, against 66.67 for a naive guess ## Who this take is about - Tee Higgins — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/tee-higgins - Cincinnati Bengals — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/bengals - DeVonta Smith — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/devonta-smith - Philadelphia Eagles — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/eagles - Ja'Marr Chase — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/ja-marr-chase ## What others said about the same people - Rich Eisen on A.J. Brown: Eisen delivered his SoFi-presented power rankings of the 2026 NFL draftees most likely to live up to their billing, counting down from Mekhi Lemmon at No. 10 to Jeremiah Love at No. 1. He also predicted the Eagles will trade A.J. Brown and picked three NFC South teams to go over their win totals. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/44917560-fe2f-453a-a274-edd5059b1c1c (scored 100) - Nick Shook on Jermod McCoy: Shook walks through his full first-round mock draft, assigning a prospect to every pick from No. 1 to No. 32, headlined by Fernando Mendoza to the Raiders, David Bailey to the Jets and Jeremiah Love to the Cardinals in the top three. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/7d4209aa-2e2d-47a2-b6e5-791d16d209cb (scored 1.94) - Carmen Vitali on Trey Hendrickson: Vitally pegs Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles as probably a top-five pick in this year's draft, and expects the Bengals to lose Trey Hendrickson in free agency. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/e112e602-025f-411c-87a6-0e8af5a5667a (scored 100) - Justin Penik on Zack Baun: Pennock predicted Sam Darnold to Pittsburgh, Zach Baun re-signing in Philadelphia, Charvarius Ward and Jamien Sherwood to Washington, Cam Robinson to Chicago as left tackle, Cam Bynum to the Jets, Darius Slayton to the Chargers, Aaron Jones back to Minnesota and Aaron Rodgers to the Giants. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/4af0c93c-46f5-4a2c-ae24-e6ffa81a6559 (scored 0) - Gregg Rosenthal on Tee Higgins: Rosenthal called Alabama linebacker Jihad Campbell a first-round pick, said Trey Smith and Tee Higgins will not reach free agency, and predicted Matthew Stafford ends up with either the Raiders or Rams rather than the Giants. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/112e5312-772e-44a0-a2a4-ccc1930c2f1a (scored 0) - Manti Te'o on Trey Hendrickson: Te'o predicted Trey Hendrickson would return to Cincinnati, while arguing the Bengals' contract priority should be their two wide receivers. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/6c07f789-59a4-43b0-a58b-0f952ffa0685 (scored 0) ## More depth chart calls The same kind of call, about other players and teams. - Tyler Sullivan on Deshaun Watson: An unsigned CBS Sports preseason review grading all 32 teams, which along the way stakes out a number of depth-chart calls for Week 1 and beyond — including Deshaun Watson opening as Cleveland's starter, Fernando Mendoza taking over as Las Vegas' QB1 by season's end, and Minnesota's Murray-Wentz-McCarthy quarterback order. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/054d7c3e-baca-4414-b3dd-72c4eced2725 (scored 100) - Ryan Wilson on Deshaun Watson: A CBS Sports piece states Deshaun Watson has won Cleveland's starting quarterback job for Week 1 with Shedeur Sanders next in line, while arguing Watson will not play like even an average NFL quarterback and that none of the Browns' current young passers should stop them from drafting a first-round quarterback next April. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/ff870e69-9992-4166-aa81-9b49d6f77f55 (scored 100) - Rafael Zamorano on Deshaun Watson: Zamorano argues the Browns do not have a franchise quarterback and that it's unlikely Watson or Sanders is their long-term answer. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/80cb396b-8dbf-4e39-bd65-6d25df403db1 (scored 100) - John Breech on Deshaun Watson: The unsigned newsletter author says Deshaun Watson will start Week 1 at Jacksonville, notes he voted for Jaxson Dart as his breakout QB rather than Caleb Williams, and says newly signed Daniel Carlson is the favorite to win the Saints' kicking job. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/1e520b2b-bf4e-4a82-9743-7cb7bc3ee125 (scored 100) - Mark Chichester on Deshaun Watson: Unsigned PFF piece reporting/asserting that Deshaun Watson will be Cleveland's Week 1 starting quarterback against Jacksonville, with Shedeur Sanders behind him on the depth chart. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/ef347873-c28b-4a47-bb04-2488937cd3cf (scored 100) - Zachary Pereles on Deshaun Watson: The unsigned recap argues Sanders clearly outplayed Watson and, even if Sanders isn't named the Week 1 starter, predicts both quarterbacks will see significant playing time in 2026. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/1b6d3216-38ff-4922-9e0a-807497573121 (scored 100) --- Accuracy is 0-100 against what actually happened. The naive guess is what a strategy requiring no knowledge would have scored on the same call — the difference is the skill, and it is what the MissedTakes Score averages. Full method: https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/methodology We summarize what a pundit said and quote a short span for attribution; we never republish their article. If this is wrong, tell us: https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/corrections?pundit=jordan-vanek